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(No Model.)

FF'S ETRE PORTABLE FRUIT-DRIER. No. 300,121 Patented June 10, 1884.

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IIVVEIVTO-R WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

RILEY F. IETREE, OF GERMANTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

PORTABLE FRUIT-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,121, dated June 10,1884.

Application filed December 10, 1883. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. F. PETREE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Germanton, in the county of Stokes and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PortableFruit- Driers, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings. v

My invention has relation to fruit-driers; and its object is to providea simple, cheap, and efficient portable device for farm and householduse; and to that end the novelty consists in the construction of thesame, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference indicate thesame parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fruit-drier as it appearsreadyfor use, and'Fig. 2isacentral cross-sectionof the same.

AB are longitudinal rails, provided with handles a a b b, and said railsare suitably secured to the series of cross-bars G, having legs 0 c,which form the frame-work of the machine, the front legs, 0, beingshorter than the rear ones, a, which gives the top an incline forward.

D D are a series of pegs projecting from the rail A, and E is a sheet ofthin muslin secured to said pegs, and its opposite side has a bar orslat, F, to which is secured elastic straps G, removably secured to thepegs H in the legs 0, by means of which the muslin sheet is tightlydrawn across the rails A B.

I I are guards secured to the cross-bars O, and K is a standard providedwith a metal arm, L, through which passes an adjustingscrew, M.

Nis a reflector, its lower end resting on the cross-bars C, and itsupper end held in an adjustably-vertical position by meansof thesetscrew M. This reflector may be made of looking-glass or any polishedor planished metal, and in practice I have used sheet-tin, and find itanswers the purpose, as it reflects the suns rays in the form of lightand heat equally well. The end of the set-screw is provided with awasher, m, on one side of the reflector, and a similar washer, n, on theother side, so that as the screw is turned in the arm L the angle of thereflector may be varied with respect to the inclined screen E.

The fruit or other vegetable substance to be dried, being first cut intothin slices, is then spread on the muslin screen E, and, by means of thehandles a b, the drier is lifted and placed in the sun, with thereflector facing it. The surface of the screen being inclined allows afull exposure of the fruit to the heat and light of the direct rays ofthe sun, and those rays which fall on the reflector are reflecteddirectly upon the fruit also, while the heat generated by the combinedeffect of the direct and reflected rays caused an upward current of airthrough the screen, which is open or porous, and said air-current, inconnection with the heat-rays, rapidly and effectually evaporate theaqueous elements. of the fruit, and thus dry and preserve it, and inthis condition it may be packed in dry packages for home consumption ortransportation, as

desired. i

Having thus fully described my improved fruit-drier, what I claim as newand useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,is-

1. The combination, with an inclined supporting-frame, of the screen E,secured to said frame at one side by means of the pegs D, and to theother by means of the elastic straps G, removably secured to the pegs H,as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In afruit-drier, the inclined porous screen E, in combinationwith thesupporting'rails A B, and elastic connections for keeping the screentaut across the rails, as set forth.

3. In a fruit-drier, the combination, with the supporting-frame providedwith the in clined screen E and arm L, of the reflector N, havingsetscrew M, whereby said reflector may be adjusted with reference tosaid screen, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RILEY F. PETREE.

Witnesses:

WM. CAMPBELL, JAMES W. NEwsoM.

